Our Specialisms
Learning Disabilities
Our individual and person-centred care plans enable service users with Learning Disabilities to have choice and control over their own lives. We encourage them to achieve their goals in a way that is bespoke to their needs.
Each person we support with Learning Disability has a person-centred, strengths-based assessment. The assessment highlights their existing abilities and identifies how support staff and specialist support can enhance their independent living skills.
The assessment is based on the Active Support Model, which encourages the person’s involvement in every aspect of their life and through targeted support and enablement, promotes skill development.
Active support is outcomes based and enables monitoring of progress towards each person reaching their full potential. Our person-centred approach, results in each person fully engaging in their review process and making positive life changes based on their person-centred profiles.
We complete an in-depth assessment and analysis of challenging needs and take a positive approach based on detailed behavioural support planning. Our staff will support each person to engage in positive behaviours through using effective communication strategies.
Autism
Our specialist Autism services offer a person-centred and Autism friendly approach for every autistic person we support. We encourage people to gain self-awareness and increased understanding of their Autism. We support people to gain confidence and do things that are important to them. This can lead to increased independence and importantly a sense of control of their lives. Our experienced and well-trained staff are supported by our specialist team and behavioural advisors who have a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with people with Autism.
Our Autism training pathway enables staff to work in Autism friendly ways and to support the development of the gifts and skills that each person has. Initially, our staff are taught to become Autism aware and then with further training, they learn how to develop Autism friendly ways of working in how they support each autistic person.
Mental Health
We are supporting people with mental health conditions and provide a support service to people and now we also have plans to provide a support service to people in their own homes and local community.
We have provided some information about common and not so common mental health conditions which you can find by clicking on the links in the following sections by clicking on each of these specialism buttons.
Anxiety Disorders
Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life, and some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily life. There are many different types of anxiety disorders as listed below.
- Agoraphobia
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Hair pulling (Trichotillomania)
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic disorder (Panic Attacks)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Skin picking
- Social anxiety disorder
- Toilet related anxiety
It is common to have other conditions such as depression or other anxiety disorders if you have GAD. People with this disorder feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they relaxed. GAD can cause both psychological and physical symptoms.
For more information and a fact sheet, please visit www.rethink.org
Bipolar Disorder
Also known as bipolar affective disorder and formerly known as maniac depression, involves extreme mood swings from mania, a form of euphoria or feeling like one has a lot of energy, to deep depression. There are different types of bipolar disorder.
Symptoms of mania can include:
- Racing thoughts and ideas, quicker speech usual
- Poor decision making
- Feeling positive and/or happy even if things are not going well for you
- Being more irritable than normal
- Feeling much better about yourself than usual
- Picking arguments, being aggressive or pushy
- Feeling like you have more energy.
- Doing uncharacteristic things which may cause problems, such as using drugs or alcohol. Overspending sprees, making unwise business decisions, being sexually promiscuous
- Feeling you can do much more than you realistically can.
- Being much more outgoing or social than usual
- Needing little sleep
Symptoms of depression can include:
- Low mood
- Feeling hopeless or negative
- Irritability or restlessness
- Feeling unworthy or helpless
- Being less interested in things you normally like doing or enjoying them less
- Difficulty in concentrating, remembering or making decisions.
- Feeling tired, lethargic or lacking in energy
- Oversleeping or finding it difficult to get to sleep.
- Lack of appetite and/or losing or gaining weight when you do not mean to.
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Some people also have psychotic symptoms during severe episodes of mania or depression. Bipolar disorder has no simple cause, but there is strong evidence that it is associated with changes to various brain chemicals. The precise way in which this happens is not yet known. It may be triggered by the stress of everyday life or a traumatic event or, in rare cases, physical trauma such as head injury.
Everyone has variations in their mood, but in bipolar disorder these changes can be very distressing and have a big impact on your life. You may feel that your high and low moods are extreme, and that swings in your mood are overwhelming.
Bipolar disorder is diagnosed by a psychiatrist who does a full psychiatric assessment. There are different medications that can help treat mania and they often called mood stabilisers. Doctors may also prescribe antidepressants to treat depressive symptoms but, because antidepressants on their own can cause mania, should also prescribe antimanic medication.
Psychosocial treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or family therapy, in addition to medication, can help manage symptoms.
Further information can be found on: www.rehtink.org
Depression
Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up with a few days. Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms which can range from feelings of sadness and hopelessness to losing interest in things you used to enjoy. Depression can affect people of any age, including children, and it is one of the most common mental illnesses. Depression is a long-lasting low mood that affects your ability to do everyday things, feel pleasure, or take interests in activities.
Depression is:
- A mental illness that is recognised worldwide.
- It affects one in ten of us.
- Something that everyone can get.
- Treatable
Depression is not:
- Something you can snap out of a sign of weakness.
- Something that everyone experiences
- Something that lasts forever.
The symptoms of depression can include:
- Low mood and feeling sad.
- Less energy and feeling l less able to do things.
- Losing interest in activies you used to enjoy.
- Loss of concentration
- Becoming tired easily or constantly feeling tied
- Sleeping less and/or poor-qualy sleep
- Eating less
- Feeling less good about yourself (loss of confidence)
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- Losing interest in sex
- Various aches and pains
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and making suicide attempts
You do not have to have all of these to be diagnosed with depression – you might have just a few of them.
Depression is normally treated with medication, therapy or counselling. Nobody knows what causes depression. Family history, upbringing, stressful events and your lifestyle can all affect your risk.
If you feel low, try to get enough sleep and to eat well if you can. It is also important to try to keep active, even if you don’t feel like it.
Supporting the person, you care for
If you want to support someone with depression, you might find it helpful to learn about symptoms, treatments and self-help techniques. This way you may be able to encourage your loved one to take the steps they need to get well. Below are some initial suggestions for providing practical day to day support:
- Offer them emotional support, patience, affection and encouragement. Remember that depression is an illness and people cannot pull themselves together.
- Invite them on walks, outings, and gentle activities. Encourage them to take part in activities that once gave them pleasure. However, try not to put too much pressure on them as not feeling able to engage in activities they used to enjoy can be a source of further unhappiness.
- Help them feel good about themselves by praising daily achievements.
- Encourage them to help themselves through seld-help techniques and further treatment if appropriate.
- Find or about self-help or support groups in the areas.
For more information and a depression factsheet visit: www.rethink.org.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. For example, someone with a fear of their house being burgled may feel that they need to check windows and door locks several times before they can leave the house. OCD symptoms can range from mild to severe and people with OCD may spend several hours a day engaged in obsessive compulsive thinking and behaviour or it can completely take over their life.
Although many people experience minor obsessions (e.g. worrying about leaving the gas on, or if the door is locked) and compulsions (e.g. rituals, like avoiding the cracks in the pavement), these don’t significantly interfere with their daily lives, or are short-lived.
If you experience OCD, your obsessions and compulsions will cause you considerable fear and distress. They will also take up a significant amount of time and disrupt your ability to carry on with your day-to-day to life, including doing daily chores, going to work, or maintaining relationships with friends and family.
Many people with OCD experience feelings of shame and loneliness which often stop them from seeking help, particularly if they experience distressing thoughts about subjects such as religion, sex or violence. This means that many people try to cope with OCD alone, until the symptoms are so severe they can’t hide them anymore.
Although everyone will have their own experiences, there are several common obsessions and compulsions that occur as part of OCD.
Common obsessions
The three most common themes are:
- unwanted thoughts about harm or aggression
- unwanted sexual thoughts
- unwanted blasphemous thoughts
You might find that some objects or experiences make your obsessions or compulsions worse, and you try to avoid them as a result. For example, if you fear contamination, you might avoid eating and drinking anywhere except in your own home. Avoiding things can have a major impact on your life.
For more information see: www.mind.org.uk
Personality Disorders
Are conditions in which an individual differs significantly from an average person in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others. Changes in how a person feels and distorted beliefs about other people can lead to odd behaviour, which can be distressing and may upset others. In England, it is estimated that around 1 in 20 people has a personality disorder. Many people have only mild conditions so only need help at times of stress (such as bereavement).
The word ‘personality’ refers to the pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviour that makes each of us the individuals that we are. We don’t always think, feel and behave in exactly the same way – it depends on the situation we are in, the people with us, and many other things. But mostly we do tend to behave in fairly predictable ways or patterns. And so we can be described as shy, selfish, lively and so on. We each have a set of these patterns and this set makes up our personality.
Generally speaking, personality doesn’t change very much, but it does develop as we go through different experiences in life and as our circumstances change. So as we mature with time, our thinking, feelings and behaviour all change. We are usually flexible enough to learn from past experiences and to change our behaviour to cope with life more effectively. If you have a personality disorder, you are likely to find this more difficult. Your patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving are more difficult to change and you will have a more limited range of emotions, attitudes and behaviours with which to cope with everyday life. This can make things difficult for you and/or for other people.
If you have a personality disorder, you may find that your beliefs and attitudes are different from others. They may find your behaviour unusual or unexpected, and may find it difficult to spend time with you. This, of course, can make you feel very hurt and insecure; you may end up avoiding the company of others.
There are ten different types of personality disorder and are grouped into three categories:
| Suspicious | Emotional & Impulsive | Anxious |
|---|---|---|
| Paranoid | Borderline | Avoidant |
| Schizoid | Histrionic | Dependent |
| Schizotypal | Narcissistic | Obsessive Compulsive |
| Antisocial |
One person may meet the criteria for several different types of personality disorder, while a wide range of people may fit the criteria for the same disorder, despite having very different personalities.
A detailed description can be found on the MIND website: www.mind.org.uk
Psychosis
Is a set of symptoms rather than a condition in itself.
There are different types of psychotic disorders these are:
Schizophrenia, Drug or Alcohol Related Psychosis, Organic Psychosis, Bipolar, Psychotic Depression and Delusional Disorder.
These are serious mental disorders characterised by thinking and emotions that are so impaired that they indicate that the person experiencing them has lost contact with reality.
People who are psychotic have false thoughts (delusions) and/or see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations). These are referred to as “positive” symptoms; “negative” symptoms like loss of motivation and social withdrawal can also occur.
These experiences can be frightening and may cause people who are suffering from psychosis to hurt themselves or others. Psychosis affects three out of every 100 people. It is most likely to be diagnosed in young adults but psychosis can happen to anyone.
Schizophrenia
Is a psychotic disorder and a diagnosis that you may be given if you experience some of the following symptoms:
- A lack of interest in things
- Feeling disconnected from your feelings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Wanting to avoid people
- Hallucinations
- Hearing voices
- Delusions
- Feeling like you need to be protected
For some people these experiences or beliefs can start happening quite suddenly, but for others they can occur more gradually. You may become upset, anxious, confused and suspicious of other people particularly anyone who doesn’t agree with your perceptions. You may be unaware or reluctant to believe that you need help.
Delusions, hearing voices and hallucinations are all types of psychosis. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be disruptive and have an impact on your ability to carry on with day-to-day tasks, such as going to work, maintaining relationships with other people, caring for yourself or for others.
Views on schizophrenia have changed over the years. Lots of people have questioned whether schizophrenia is actually one condition or if it might actually be a few different conditions that overlap.
Some people say that what the condition is called doesn’t matter and that it would be more helpful to focus on relieving specific symptoms and individual needs. Other people argue that because psychiatric experts can’t agree on the definition, causes or suitable treatments for schizophrenia, it shouldn’t be used as a diagnostic category at all.
The reality is that many people are still diagnosed with schizophrenia. If you are one of them, it might be helpful to think of a diagnosis more as a tool for treating what you’re currently experiencing, rather than a definite condition or label that you will have to live with forever.
Highly stressful or life-changing events may trigger schizophrenia. These include:
- Social isolation
- Being out of work
- Living in poverty
- Being homeless
- Losing someone close to you
- Being physically or verbally abused or harassed
Some people may develop symptoms of schizophrenia as a result of using cannabis or other street drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines.
If you already have schizophrenia, using street drugs can make the symptoms worse. Drinking alcohol and smoking may also limit how effectively medicines treat the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Some families seem to be prone to schizophrenia suggests a genetic link. Rather than there being a specific gene for schizophrenia however, it is thought that certain genes might make some people more vulnerable to the condition.
Research is happening all the time into what might cause schizophrenia. For example, there is evidence that physical differences in, or injury to the brain may be linked to schizophrenia and that some of this process might happen before someone is born.
Research into other possible causes including viruses, hormonal activity (particularly in women), diet, allergic reaction or infection is on-going.
About one in every hundred people is diagnosed with schizophrenia. It seems to affect roughly the same number of men and women. Most people diagnosed with schizophrenia are aged between 18 and 35 with men tending to be diagnosed at a slightly younger age than women. Some studies suggest that living in cities increases the risk of developing schizophrenia.
African-Caribbean men in the UK are much more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than their white counterparts. This is despite no evidence that they are biologically more vulnerable to it. Suggestions have been made that this is caused by difficult life events such as migration, racism, environment and cultural differences that affect mental health.
It may also be that psychiatrists with very different cultural, religious or social experiences to their patients mistakenly diagnose schizophrenia.
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